Page 35 of Such a Good Girl

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Hoskins’s breath smelled like stale coffee and a million cigarettes stubbed out.

Crowded into the back of his dirty white surveillance van, I’d been listening to him drone on for way too long now. I couldn’t stand this asshole, and the fact that I’d been paired up with him pissed me off to no end.

“Of course I’m not fucking enjoying it, Hoskins,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“I don’t believe you.”

“I’m not a fucking perv like you, asshole.” I snatched the phone he held out to me.

“Everyone’s a fucking perv,” he laughed. “Some are just better at admitting it.”

“Just tell me what I need to know so I can get the fuck out of this dirty van,”

He’d been staked out at another location for the last few days, and it was apparent that cleaning up after himself was not high on his list of priorities. Fast food wrappers and empty soda bottles littered the floor.

“Leave your personal cell at home,” he said. “Use only the smart phone I gave you. It has fake photos and contacts in place in case anyone tries to search your phone. To contact me, use the burner I gave you and delete all call logs and text messages immediately. Understood?”

“Yeah,” I said, shoving them in my purse. “Can I go now?”

“No, you can’t. I need a progress report.”

“There’s been no progress. I just got the fucking job, Hoskins.”

“Yeah, but you auditioned for days. Surely you saw something? Overheard conversations?”

“Not yet,” I said, heading for the door, ducking my head to keep from hitting it on the ceiling.

“I need you to record everything. Use the smart phone. You know how to do that?”

“How the hell would I record everything?”

“The important stuff. Don’t forget.”

“I’ll do what I can,” I said. “But I have to stay safe at the same time. I can’t get caught recording anything, especially since he’s letting me into the secret part of the club. I don’t think devices are allowed in there at all.”

“So, you’re just going to get paid to watch people have sex? Doesn’t seem fair, to be honest. This place is probably a dead end.”

“It’s better than all that porn watching that you do, and don’t get paid for!” I shot back at him as I opened the sliding door and hopped out. His face fell at my comment and his obvious displeasure brought me much joy. “Fuck off, Hoskins!” I flipped him off over my shoulder and walked away.

“I need you to check in with me daily!” he shouted after me.

“Like I said, I’ll do what I can,” I called as I re-entered my house. I was so glad to be done with him. For the day, at least.

“I can’t believe that asshole is my handler,” I muttered to myself before heading to my bedroom to retrieve my bag for work.

I was a nervous wreck today. All night, I’d done nothing but think about West and everything he’d said yesterday. More than that, I’d thought about his hands on me, his lips, his kiss, his tongue. I wasn’t exactly sure what I’d gotten myself into, and concentrating on the case when West was all over me like that was going to be very difficult.

I could do it, though.

I had to.

Flashes of the victims’ photographs kept popping up in my dreams all night, a nightmarish reminder of my true mission. I couldn’t fail. I couldn’t fail those women.

Someone out there was very dangerous. I needed to find them before they hurt anyone else.

Was it West?

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